This tasting comprised wines from the Côte de Nuits (northern half of the Côte D’Or wine region) and Côte de Beaune (southern half) and included four Grand Cru and two Premier Cru all from well-known producers. Peter Wearing, cofounder of The Small Winemakers Collection and a Diploma Programme coordinator for the IWEG Drinks Academy was our guest speaker for the evening. Full event description is available here.
The Wines
2009 Domaine Antonin - Guyon Corton Bressandes Grand Cru, Côte de Beaune $89 After being hand harvested, the grapes are placed into small boxes for transport and then hand stored at the cellars. Long fermentation during 20 days in large open-top wooden vats which are temperature controlled. The cap is punched down two times per day. Aged in oak barrels (50% new oak) and estate bottling after 18 months. Quite heady and deep with candied raspberry aromas. Chewy finish. Not nearly ready but sincere and should eventually provide decent value. Impressive length. 17/20 points Jancis Robinson Tasted: 14-Oct-2011 2009 Domaine Dubreuil-Fontaine Pere et Fils - Corton Bressandes Grand Cru, Côte de Beaune $79 2009 Nicolas Potel Maison Roche de Bellene GevreyChambertin Vieilles Vignes, Côte de Nuits, FranceThis is both more elegant and slightly fresher still with a fantastically complex nose of red berry fruit, stone, earth and plum liqueur aromas serving as a striking introduction to the detailed, powerful, intense and mouth coating flavors that culminate in a balanced, focused and hugely long finish that delivers the same remarkable depth as the nose. As one would reasonably expect, this is not as big and robust as the Clos du Roi but it's finer and even as big as it is, this is essentially a wine of refinement. In a word, marvelous. Drink: 2014+ Burghound 94 points. 2009 Domaine Antonin Guyon - Corton Clos du Roy Grand Cru, Côte de Beaune $95 Stephen Tanzer did not review the 2009 vintage but noted that the 2008 vintage was palish medium red. Complex, soil-driven aromas of strawberry, raspberry, minerals and spices. Juicy, savory and tightly wound, with a tight kernel of fruit calling for at least a few years of patience. Offers subtle intensity and a light touch, finishing with very good spicy, saline length. 90 points Stephen Tanzer. 2009 Fernand & Laurent Pillot Rugiens, Pommard Premier Cru $99 Bright cherry red. Bright and heady with just a hint of oak. Very bright and satisfying. Proper vineyard expression with vivacity. 17/20 Jancis Robinson. 2009 Domaine des Chezeaux Griotte-Chambertin Grand Cru, Côte de Nuits, France $62 Less vigourous than Chambertin, Griotte-Chambertin is a rare wine, with a ruby hue, sensuality, breeding and elegance; a confiture of cherry flavours, red fruits, licorice and spices - a mineral note too. It is a wine with round tannins that suit perfectly the natural low acidity of the climate. Soft in the mouth, it is opulent and glossy - a wine of silk and lace. Burghound 94 points
2009 Nicolas Potel - Maison Roche de Bellene GevreyChambertin Vieilles Vignes, Côte de Nuits $85 A pale delicate ruby red appearance foretells an equally delicate, red berry-scented Gevrey. Cherry and kirsch flavours dominate the palate, wood is barely noticeable, acidity is bright and juicy and tannins are moderate but grippy. There's a temptation to dismiss this wine up front as light and insubstantial, but the length and intensity are deceptive: this lingers on and on. This needs another 2-4 years in my view for the aromatic complexity to catch up to the flavour intensity, so be patient. In any case it's not a big bold style but rather axed more on purity and elegance, a nice surprise given the generally forward and bold nature of the vintage. Tasted August 2011. 91 points John Sazbo 2009 Domaine Daniel Rion & Fils Les Vignes Rondes, Nuits Saint-Georges Premier Cru $75 Rich and colorful, with aromas of wild fruits: blackberry, cassis, with present and elegant tannins. Its intense and dark color announces powerful and complex aromas: they mix blackcurrant, blackberry and blueberry with solid structure. The wines of Nuits St Georges will be revealed to you between 5 and 10 years; and up to 15 years. Domaine Daniels Rion & Fils 2009 Domaine Henri Gouges - Nuits-Saint-Georges Villages, Côte de Nuits $47 Light cherry colour. Very firm and bright fruited. Straightforward and much more open than Gouges wines used to be. Nice finish. Very honest. 16.5/17 Jancis Robinson
2009 Domaine Henri Gouges - Nuits-Saint-Georges Villages, Côte de Nuits $47 Light cherry colour. Very firm and bright fruited. Straightforward and much more open than Gouges wines used to be. Nice finish. Very honest. 16.5/17 Jancis Robinson
How the wines were ranked